April and Jacob celebrated their love surrounded by family and friends at the enchanting Molewood Orchard. Their day was filled with joy and love, beautifully captured in photos showcasing the happy couple relishing every moment.
April captivated in Cezanne by Sottero & Midgley, a luxurious satin gown featuring a sweetheart ruched bodice and a dramatic thigh-high slit in the skirt. She added satin cap sleeves, a romantic touch that perfectly completed the look.
We hope you enjoy scrolling through their special day and gain insight from April’s experience with us at Astra Bridal, as well as her journey to finding the perfect wedding dress.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
Greek Goddess! When I looked at this dress, I instantly knew it was absolutely everything I could ask for in a dress. It had simple fabric but still something special about it. The fabric pleating is everything, and the way the dress fell was just stunning. It was lightweight enough for a summer wedding and had a large slit in the front to let some air in... which I felt was very important as an always-hot girlie.
I was told it’s not a very popular dress, but I loved it so much and am so grateful for my literal dream dress!
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
I intended to have my dress made, but the timing just wasn’t right, and suddenly, barely a month out from the wedding, I had to find a dress. My bestie booked an appointment for me at the Wellington Astra Bridal store, and off I went to hopefully find 'the one.'
I had seen the Cezanne dress previously, as my bestie had tried on some dresses for her wedding at Astra a few months prior. I had also been hunting for dress inspiration, hoping a dressmaker could create something similar. When the panic hit of needing to find a dress, I went straight onto the Astra Bridal website and hunted. I spent hours on the site, looking at every detail so I could show the team at Astra what I liked. I picked out the Cezanne and a few others I thought could work.
I knew deep down that finding a dress off-the-rack in under a month was mission-near-impossible. But I kept calm and collected, showed up to my appointment, and the girls at Astra knew the vibe immediately. I told them it needed to be off-the-rack, I didn’t have time for adjustments, and I needed to feel good in it. We hunted the store for what could fit me and ended up with a collection. I forgot to show the girls my inspo, but they were great at picking out some fabulous dresses anyway. As we were wrapping up the dress hunt and starting the try-on phase, I saw her: Cezanne.
We picked it off the rack. SHE WAS MY SIZE! The girls at Astra helped me set up a payment plan, and I picked up my dress two weeks before the wedding. All I had to do was attach the sleeves I had bought to go with her.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
My best friend Tiffany and Jacob's best friend Sam met on Tinder and have been dating for the last decade. We met through them around the time they first started dating. We were friends for a long time, both having different life ambitions and commitments. We started spending more time together, and I quickly realised that we could be much more than friends. I made the first move, and the rest is history. We officially started dating on 14/12/2022, got engaged on 14/12/2023, and married on 14/12/2024. He's my best friend, and I couldn't imagine life without him!
We picked out the ring together because he wanted to make sure I liked it. We had a one year vacation booked, but the plans fell through, and we ended up in Rotorua, a place that Jacob's family has roots in and that is special whenua for him. It is part of his whakapapa. He proposed to me before we left for the airport, out by the water and in nature. Our flight ended up being delayed by six hours, so we bought a book each and read while waiting at the airport.
What was your favourite part of the day?
Everything was just so magical and special. Everybody there meant so much to us, from the guests to the vendors, and we wouldn't have done the day any differently. We both felt incredible, and I felt so beautiful. It was amazing to share our love with everyone.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
We were graced with beautiful sunshine and some cloud cover in the Wairarapa, which was fantastic for the day and the photos. It was hot, we did get burned, but it was worth it. I got ready at Jacob's sister's house. She made us a cake, and we had some bubbles. The bridesmaids did their own hair and makeup, I ordered their dresses from BLAK Bridesmaids, and they picked their own shoes. I gave them their necklaces—something special to keep as a memory from the day.
I got my makeup and hair done by Kerry, who I found last minute (literally three days before the wedding). I wasn’t going to get it done, but I thought I should since it was being filmed for TV! Becs was there for photography—she was AMAZING.
Jacob got ready at his mum’s house with some of the boys. There was a lot of setting up to do, so the boys were running around doing all of that while the girls chilled out.
The ceremony and reception went well! It was truly lovely. Jacob's niece, Rose, was the flower girl, and I was told she did such a good job! Jacob's cousin Skylar did a speech in Te Reo, which was an absolutely special moment for us. Jacob's dad, Brian, read us a beautiful poem, and my best friend (and maid of honour), Koha Tiffany, read a poem during our hand-binding ritual. We kept it as short as we could, but with a lot of special meaning behind it.
The reception was short—just a paddock over. We had high tea, which was prepared by the lovely ladies at Cobblestone Museum, who volunteer for koha for events such as these. We chatted, took photos, and then once all the guests had left, the bridal party and some extras went off to Mount Holdsworth Lodge for the night to continue the party!
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
Relax, and don't force anything. If it's too hard, stop and reevaluate what is important to you and your spouse. Give yourself more time than you anticipate needing for rehearsals, meetings with celebrants/photographers, etc., and take time for yourself on your special day. Spend some time with that little girl you once were, dreaming of her wedding day while you are in your dress, all ready to go. Breathe deeply and meaningfully throughout the day. Congratulations and best wishes for the rest of your lives together!
